The beautiful sound of Crashing Bottle

agentmancuso · The beautiful sound of Crashing Bottle

St Johnstone have blown it again, losing to Qos at home.

Thistle have three games left to make up 4 points.

Elsewhere:

Everton beat Manchester United at Wembley to reach the FA cup final. Gerrit right up ye Ferguson.

jamesieboy

So who do you think will win the 4 Scottish leagues?

My prediction:

Premier - Rangers

League One - St Johnstone

League Two - Raith Rovers

League Three - Dumbarton (a fine team)

Rinty

I dont know enough about the lower leagues to predict. Celtic look in form and must be favourites for the SPL but it could go either way because Rangers have home advantage in the head to head, so I cant predict that eiother really.

But, on form alone, celtic are gettuing better and players are coming back while rangers are really struggling.

Their performace today was embarrassingly bad. The midfield couldnt keep possession and rarely strung more then two passes at a time. Bougherra and Davis were excellent, they rest looked knackered.

Reluctant Hero

Think Thistle have left it too late to pull it off. The worrying thing is that the last time St J lost out on the title on the last game of the season, County ended up getting relegated. We needed to beat Gretna by something like 3 goals on the last game. It was 2 -2 in the last minute, so we were basically relegated anyway, but then they go and score the winner that gives them the league title.

Fast forward a few years and St J could lose out and County could get relegated again. We have got three games left to get 1 point and avoid the play-offs. Airdrie are the team immediately below us and we are playing them at their bit this weekend.

Bring it on!!!!

jamesieboy

Please Please Please ..get Airdrie relegated.

Their fans are the most hated in the lower leagues, for good reasons.

Do you think Raith will pip Ayr for the second?

And do you think Dumbarton (a very fine team) will edge in front of
Cowdenbeath for the third?

This is a great time to be a football fan. Weather's usually good and there's a lot at stake.

And i cannot understand those who hate football and all that goes with it.

I mean, traipsing round Homebase or PC World on a saturday afternoon - how exciting is that?

Rinty

The key battle for me is the relegation battle in the Western Super League. Cumnock, one year after being cheated out of a scottish cup win, are facing a sruggle to stay up.

Losing to near rivals Arthurlie on saturday was a blow and it now looks like our best chance is third bottom if we can catch Vale of Clyde. That would leave us in a play-off with third top from the Western league 1. We were there last year and won the play-off.

agentmancuso

jamesieboy

But the real fight is in the 3rd Division where a resurgent Sons of the Rock are locked in a battle with Cowdenbeath.

Dumbarton have Forfar and Elgin at home and face a tough trip to Annan on the last day.

Cowden have Montrose on the plastic pitch minus a whole number of players who are either injured or facing suspension for being sent off, and then face Stennymuir at home who are fighting for a play-off place and then go to third-placed East Stirling on their plastic pitch on the last day.

The lower leagues are far more interesting.

Rinty

I dont know if they are 'more' interesting, they are certainly 'as' interesting.

I think the run in to the SPL will be fascinating. As is the run in in the EPL.

jamesieboy

Indeed. A fine month is the month of April.

And FOUR goals for Arshavin tonight?

Incredible at that level.

Reluctant Hero

Unfortunately it looks as if it is beyond Thistle now agent

agentmancuso

Maybe, but at least we're pushing Saints all the way. It was a penalty in injury time that got us the points yesterday - a bit harsh on Ferranti to be honest. Not that we were complaining at the time. Great to have Liam Buchanan back too.

It's an amazing league - County are only four points away from the relegation zone, and only four points away from third place!

Rinty

That would make it an exciting league of third place had any importance, but as we only have one promoted it makes it a close league but without much excitement really as most teams have no chance of going up.

When we started with the 'premier' league we had ten teams with 2 up and down at the end of the season, then we expanded the 'premier' league to twelve and then cut it to one place. We started out protecting 8 top teams from relegation, now, due to the selfish actions of those in the top league, have 11 teams protected.

People talk about league recontsruction and I agree, we need a revamp, but the promotion and relegation to and from the top league is something that is a no brainer and, if the selfish teams had the least respect for Scottish football, would sort immediately.

agentmancuso

No argument there, I'm all for two divisions of 16.

Rinty

Me too but, even with the divisions we have right now, it should at least 2 up and down, preferably a third one in a play off with third bottom.

agentmancuso

Yes, agreed. That way we'd go up...

Rinty

I like Gordon Smiths idea of having a split after 22 games, with the bottom 4 from the SPL and the top 4 in Div 1 then playing in a league for four premier spots.

The top 8 in SPL and bottom 8 in Div 1 keep going with the points total that they have, the middle league starts from scratch.

agentmancuso

Interesting idea. But on the downside it would mean that no-one would really win a First Division title anymore.

Reluctant Hero

It wasn't to be agent.

But I have to say thanks a lot for conceding that goal in the last minute Laughing

Means we have to go to Greenock next week and get a win to guarantee we are not in the relegation playoffs!!

agentmancuso

It was a bit of a let down today alright. To be fair, Airdurie should have had a penalty too.

I did say that they were saving their last win for us. Bad blood and all that...

jamesieboy

A name to remember:

Derek Carcary.

Scored four goals yesterday. Quickest player outside the Premier League.

He is only 21.

Reluctant Hero

The only crashing bottle I can hear at the moment is Ross County's. We only needed 1 point out of the last 3 games to essentially avoid the relegation play-offs.

Two games later, we still need a point (assuming Airdrie don't put 6 past St Johnstone). All roads lead to Cappielow this weekend, where hopefully County will be able to overturn Morton.

Come on the County Very Happy

agentmancuso

Reluctant Hero

This time tomorrow we will know our fate Confused

Think I will need a few pints down me to settle the nerves before I get to Greenock.

And that is just to settle the nerves about entering Greenock Very Happy

Reluctant Hero

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Very Happy

Reluctant Hero

There is only one game in town this weekend.

Falkirk have got to beat ICT.

Come on the Bairns Very Happy

Reluctant Hero

agentmancuso

I guess the locals will get quite excited at derby time..

Reluctant Hero

It has been a while since we have had a competitive derby, so looking forward to it already Very Happy

It should be economically beneficial for us as well as we are likely to fill the ground at least twice next season.

... and it is a guaranteed 12 points Laughing

jamesieboy

The Stags' fans have got to be the quietest in the league.

They are just silent throughout the whole match and the visiting supporters, even if there's only a few dozen of them, outsing and outshout those sonambulent Ross County fans.

Dingwall, however, is a lovely little place with great pubs and fine fish suppers and good pies. I wouldn't mind living there, it seems very peaceful, clean and almost ned-free

Reluctant Hero